1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a cowl latching mechanism and, more particularly, to a latching mechanism that incorporates a base portion that is integrally formed as part of the cowl itself.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of cowls are well known to those skilled in the art. Also, various latching mechanisms, for use in conjunction with cowls, are well known to those skilled in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,468, which issued to Boda et al on Nov. 7, 1989, discloses a cowl assembly for an outboard motor. The cowl assembly has an upper cowl section and a lower cowl section and includes various features for improving the structural integrity of the cowl assembly and for providing a water resistance seal at the joint between the cowl sections and at various points of entry of cables and other mechanical devices. A cut-out portion in the side of the lower cowl assembly is adapted to receive various cables and shift levers for different configurations of outboard marine motors (e.g. a manual tiller operated motor including shift controls, a manual tiller operated motor having a separate shift lever and a remote control motor having throttle and shift cables leading into the engine cavity). A sealing mechanism is provided at the cut-out portion of the lower assembly, to provide a water resistant seal at the points of entry of the cables or shift lever through the lower cowl section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,883, which issued to Slattery on Oct. 24, 1989, discloses a latch assembly for releasably securing cowl sections of an outboard motor. The cowl assembly for an outboard motor includes an upper cowl section and a lower cowl section and is provided with an improved latch assembly. The latch assembly incorporates a pivotal hook connected to one of the cowl sections which is engageable with a hook engaging member provided on a catch mechanism connected to the other cowl section. Due to the presence of the compressible seal between the upper and lower cowl sections, relative vertical movement is possible therebetween and thereby between the hook and the hook engaging member. The improved latch mechanism incorporates a retainer mechanism for preventing disengagement of the hook from the catch mechanism during such relative vertical movement of the cowl sections for ensuring that the cowl sections remain secure together during compression of the compressible seal between the cowl sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,526, which issued to Kusche on May 11, 1976, discloses a cowl apparatus for outboard motors. An outboard motor cowl includes separate starboard and port cowl members which are each individually, removably hinged to the rear of the engine by a pair of space hinge units which allow separate attachment and removal of the cowl halves. The forward ends of the cowl members are releasably connected to separate and independent mounts. The uppermost aft hinge unit is visible from the front of the motor. Each hinge unit includes a receptacle secured to a mounting plate and a hinge pin secured to the inside of the cowl member in slightly spaced relation to the aft edge. The receptacle is spaced from a back edge sealing bracket and includes a guide member to receive and guide the cowl member. The top hinge pin is longer than the lowermost pin and serves to pilot the lower pin into the proper position. The hinge receptacle and pin support include interfering members which hold the cowl downward in the normal closed position and requires slight pivotal movement of the cowl to release the hold down members. The front of the cowl members is suspended by a cowl pin which engages an oval shaped ring as the cowl member is pivoted to the closed position. The lower ring is secured to a front bracket plate having resilient clamping pads on the ends which cooperate with similar resilience clamping pads in the adjacent cowl to support the throttle cable to one side and the gas line to the opposite side.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,751, which issued to Takahashi on Jan. 23, 2001, describes an engine cover unit of an outboard motor. The engine is covered by an engine cover unit and the engine cover unit comprises a lower cover section covering a surrounding of a lower portion of an engine in a usable state of an outboard motor arranged vertically, an upper cover section covering a surrounding of an upper portion of the engine, the upper cover section being mounted to be detachable to the lower cover section so as to provide an engine cover when mounted, and a height adjusting device provided for an inside surface of the lower cover section and adapted to adjust a height of the engine cover. The height adjusting device comprises a holder mounting section integrally mounted to the inside portion of the lower cover section and formed with a holder insertion groove, a cushion holder to be inserted into the holder insertion groove, an elastic member mounted to the cushion holder to be movable in an axial direction thereof, and a rib member provided to the upper cover section, the rib member having an end portion abutting against the elastic member in a state that the upper cover section is closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,616, which issued to Takayanagi on Feb. 15, 2000, describes an engine cover of an outboard motor. The outboard motor includes an engine which is covered by an engine cover which is formed with a cylindrical air suction port having an opening opened to an upper surface of the engine cover in a state of the outboard motor mounted to a hull and a portion of an opening area of the opening is covered by a lid member which is formed to a rear edge portion of the opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,827, which issued to Ichihashi on Jul. 13, 1999, describes an outboard motor. The outboard motor includes an engine bottom cover member which is disposed in a space between a front portion of an under cover and an upper portion of an outboard motor attachment mechanism and conceals a bottom end portion of an engine from view at least in a lateral direction of the outboard motor. The outboard motor has a concealed engine bottom portion which is sightly in appearance. The engine bottom cover member is formed integrally with an under cover and, hence, it can be assembled automatically when the under cover is attached to the under case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,777, which issued to Hiraoka on Sep. 8, 1998, describes a latch for an outboard motor protective cowling. A latching assembly for engaging and disengaging an upper cover portion and lower tray portion of a cowling of an outboard motor is described. The lower tray portion includes a recess in which part of the latching assembly is located. The latching assembly includes a shaft mounted to the lower tray portion. A latch is rotatably secured to the shaft and movable between an engaged and disengaged position. The latch is disposed within the recess when engaged so that it is flush with the exterior of the cowling. A catch is mounted to the upper cover portion and is engageable by the latch hook. A mechanism for biasing the latch to the engaged or disengaged position is provided for preventing the latch from moving from the engaged or disengaged position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,208, which issued to Westberg on Mar. 17, 1992, describes a motor cover seal. The seal is intended for use in sealing opposed edges of upper and lower outboard motor covers and includes an elongate body constructed and arranged for disposition between the opposed edges of the upper and lower covers. An attachment portion on the body is configured to be secured to the lower motor cover and a compressible portion on the body is configured to be compressed by the closing of the upper motor cover against the lower motor cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,643, which issued to Westberg et al on Dec. 3, 1991, describes a molded lower motor cover. A molded lower motor cover for an outboard motor includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The second cover portion is generally a mirror image of the first cover portion. A laterally opening groove formation is disposed generally horizontally relative to an interface of an outer wall of each of the cover portions and each groove formation is integrally joined to the wall by a web configured so that its attachment to the interface will not be visible on the external surface of the outer wall. When the first and second cover portions are fastened to each other, the groove formations sealingly accommodate an upper portion of the motor exhaust housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,534 which was filed on Jun. 13, 2001 and which issued on Jul. 16, 2002, discloses a structural support system for an outboard motor. The support system is provided for an outboard motor which uses four connectors attached to a support structure and to an engine system for isolating vibration from being transmitted to the marine vessel to which the outboard is attached. Each connector comprises an elastomeric portion for the purpose of isolating the vibration. Furthermore, the four connectors are disposed in a common plane which is generally perpendicular to a central axis of a driveshaft of an outboard motor. Although precise perpendicularity with the driveshaft axis is not required, it has been determined that if the plane extending through the connectors is within forty-five degrees of perpendicularity with the driveshaft axis, improved vibration isolation can be achieved. A support structure, or support saddle, completely surrounds the engine system in the plane of the connectors. All of the support of the outboard motor is provided by the connectors within the plane, with no additional support provided at a lower position on the outboard motor driveshaft housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,236, which issued to Dunham et al on Aug. 16, 1994, describes a latch mechanism for an outboard motor cowl assembly. The outboard motor comprises a propulsion unit including a propeller shaft and a power head drivingly connected to the propeller shaft, and a cowling surrounding the power head, the cowling comprising a first cover member including an outer surface having therein a recess, a second cover member mating with the first member, and a selectively engageable latch mechanism for securing the second member to the first member, the latch mechanism including a latch handle which is supported by the first member, which is movable in a first direction between a flush position wherein the latch handle is in the recess and is flush with the remainder of the outer surface and a non-flush position wherein the latch handle extends from the recess and which is movable in a second direction to engage and disengage the latch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,248, which issued to Daleiden et al on Jun. 9, 1992, discloses a cam-type latching mechanism for securing cowl sections together. The latch mechanism for securing upper and lower cowl sections of an outboard motor is described. The latch system comprises a catch assembly located at one end of the cowl assembly and a latch mechanism located at the other end of the assembly. The catch assembly includes a catch block mounted to one of the cowl sections with a catch slot formed in the catch block. A roller member is mounted to the other of the cowl sections for engaging the catch slot. The catch slot is formed so as to provide an end wall against which the roller is maintained when the cowl sections are secured together with the material of the catch block engaging the roller member to prevent relative vertical movement between the cowl sections. A cam block is located at the same end of the cowl assembly as the latch mechanism and is mounted to one of the cowl sections. A cam follower is mounted to the other of the cowl sections and engages a cam surface formed on the cam block for facilitating movement of the roller member into the catch slot. A stationary latch member is engageable by a movable latch member in response to movement of a latch handle to maintain the cam follower within the cam slot and thereby to maintain the catch rollers within the catch slots. Relative vertical and horizontal movement between the cowl sections is thus prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,194, which issued to Wagner on May 22, 1990, describes a interlock latch assembly for releasably securing cowl sections of an outboard motor. An interlock mechanism is provided for a latch assembly which releasably secures upper and lower cowl sections of an outboard motor. The interlock mechanism is movable between a locking position and released position and is normally disposed in its locking position, such as by a coil spring. The interlock mechanism is mounted to the latch handle which is pivotably mounted to one of the cowl sections. A hook is interconnected with the latch handle and is engageable with a catch assembly provided on the other of the cowl sections. The interlock assembly normally engages a stationary engagement pin provided on one of the cowl sections, which prevents accidental pivoting movement of the latch handle. The interlock mechanism is manually movable to its released position so that the latch handle can be pivoted so as to disengage the hook from the catch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,396, which issued to Crane et al on Jul. 15, 1986, discloses a cowl latch for outboard motors. A latch for a cowl of an outboard motor engine includes a catch mounted on one of the cowl members. A lever is pivotally attached to the other cowl member and resilient spring member is pivotally attached to the lever. The lever and spring member act to provide an overcenter action on the lever when the latch is closed. The lever includes a shield to conceal the latch assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,194, which issued to Walsh on Sep. 7, 1982, describes a cowl for an outboard motor. A cowl for the power head of an outboard motor includes two bottom cowl members attached together by screws which also mount a latch bracket and a hinge member. The latch bracket supports a latch mechanism which, with the hinge member serves to hold a top cowl member in place.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
As described above, many different types of engine covers, or cowls, are well known to those skilled in the art. Some of the cowls are formed in two pieces that are assembled together to provide a covering for the engine of the outboard motor. Some of the patents described above relate to the upper cowl assembly for an outboard motor and others relate to the lower cowl. Several of the patents described above describe latching mechanisms that can be used to attach one section of a cowl to another section.
It would be beneficial if a cowl structure could be provided which allows one section of an upper cowl assembly to be removed while the other section remains in place and attached to the outboard motor support assembly. This allows maintenance and inspection to be provided with regard to the engine and associated components without necessarily requiring the entire cowl to be removed. It would also be beneficial if a latching mechanism could be provided, to attach cowl sections together, which is both easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble. It would also be beneficial if the latching mechanism for an outboard motor could reduce the number of components necessary to form the mechanism, thus reducing the overall assembly time and the number of metallic components which add to the weight of the outboard motor.
A latching mechanism for an outboard motor, made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises a first cover member and a second cover member. A base portion of the latching device is formed as an integral part of the second cover member and a pivot member extends through the base portion. A latch is attached for rotation about a central axis of the pivot member. The latch is movable between a locking position and a non-locking position. A latch pin is attached to the first cover member and shaped to be retained by the latch when the first and second cover members are in contact with each other and the latch is in the locking position. A spring is provided for urging the latch toward the locking position when a manually operable handle is not activated manually. A pivot is formed through the base portion and the pivot member extends through the pivot hole. A pin is attached to the pivot member to prevent the pivot member from being removed from the pivot hole.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a push-pull cable having a first end and a second end. The second end is attached to the latch and the first end is attached to a handle which is manually operable. The handle is movable relative to the second cover member to cause the latch to rotate about the central axis of the pivot member. A sheath of the push-pull cable is attached to the second cover member between the handle and the latch. A latch pin hole is formed through the first cover member, with the latch pin being disposed in the latch pin hole. The base portion is one or more bosses extending from a surface of the second cover member. The pivot member extends through the base portion and the pivot member is rotatable relative to the second cover member in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An insertion hole is formed through the second cover member and is shaped to receive the latch pin and to allow the latch to move into contact with the latch pin when the first and second cover members are attached to each other.